Manager Jorge Sampaoli has shown a preference for starting both men behind a focal point centre-forward of late, though the Albiceleste have majorly struggled for goals, leading to questions surrounding whether Messi and Dybala should share the pitch together at all.

In their best years they had Xavi and [Andres] Iniesta at their best. This is hardly a surprise, there is hardly anything new about Messi playing the match victor role for Barca.

"No player has reached Messi, Ronaldo. if I want to be at this level I have to keep working hard, improving, it will not be easy". What is just a little surprising is the extent to which Dybala is fast becoming as important for the Old Lady as Messi for Barcelona.

But Raiola, who has brokered deals for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku in the past, made it clear that Dybala would move to a bigger club in the future and name-checked United as a contender.

And Allegri was pleased with the way Dybala is fitting into the team's scheme of things. Dybala will probably be flanked by "new boy" Brazilian Douglas Costa and by experienced ball victor Stefano Sturaro in a 4-2-3-1 line-up, headed obviously by Higuain. Even in 2015, with them [Barcelona] at their best they proved they weren't so inferior.